McCullum and Taylor guide New Zealand

Tea New Zealand 194 for 2 (McCullum 82*, Taylor 41*) v Zimbabwe

Brendon McCullum was in fine form against Zimbabwe © Getty Images

Two wickets in the hour after lunch raised Zimbabwe's hopes in the Test against New Zealand at McLean Park, but the hosts' most experienced batsmen combined to lift their team towards a commanding first-innings total on a Napier surface getting flatter by the minute. Brendon McCullum was unbeaten on 82 at the break, reining in his aggression towards the close of the session once more, as he had done prior to lunch, while Ross Taylor was not out on 41.

A punch through midwicket and a thrash through the covers in the first over after lunch propelled McCullum to a twentieth Test fifty, as the New Zealand batsmen coolly resumed the positivity of the first session. Martin Guptill was content to collect twos and threes on a slowish outfield, while McCullum punctured the ring with more intent, even launching Shingi Masakadza into the square-leg stand when the bowler let an errant beamer fly.

But Masakadza's largely good work in the first two sessions was rewarded when he found some spring in the surface just after Guptill reached his half-century. Having persevered just short of a length outside off stump, Masakadza got one to leap off the pitch to take Guptill's bat high on the edge on its way to the keeper.

That wicket and the run-out to follow injected excitement after a sleepy start to the Test. Kane Williamson, looking to make amends for a poor tour of Australia, was left stranded on 4 by McCullum, who first responded to Williamson's call for a quick single before abandoning the idea and his unwitting partner, who had nearly completed the run before realising his predicament. Even a fumble by Tatenda Taibu did not grant enough time for a reprieve, and in the space of a few minutes, Zimbabwe had lurched towards equality after a 124-run opening stand.

McCullum, though, combined with Taylor to wrest back the initiative, despite the turn on offer for legspinner Graeme Cremer. He soon discovered how miniscule his margin for error was against two batsmen who relish hitting boundaries more than most, particularly against spinners. The hitting, though was canny, and interspersed with risk-free consolidation. The pair made the most of Brendan Taylor's reluctance to maintain a packed infield.

Zimbabwe's bowlers, too, failed to make the most of the momentum the two quick wickets had afforded, with Brian Vitori, and even Masakadza spraying the ball towards the tea break. The modest movement from earlier in the day had all but disappeared by the sweltering afternoon session, and New Zealand's batsmen, and a determined McCullum in particular, were well on their way to grinding down the opposition.